The team was on the wrong end of a 5-2 scoreline in Saturday's friendly against AS Monaco at the Stade Louis II.

Substitutes Harry Kane and Andros Townsend were the scorers on a night when a stand-in central defence of Jake Livermore and Zeki Fryers were tasked with the assignment of quelling the threat of Monaco's star turn Falcao. It was a tall order and the home side, boosted by the additions of Joao Moutinho and James Rodriguez, were quickly in their stride.

With just nine minutes on the clock Jermain Defoe was replaced by Kane due to injury, although not an obvious one from distance. It added to the players unavailable to Andre Villas-Boas at the moment with the likes of Michael Dawson, Younes Kaboul, Jan Vertonghen, Sandro and Paulinho not yet ready for selection.

Given the absentees, Andre was forced to adopt a makeshift central defence, flanked by Kyle Walker and Danny Rose. Scott Parker and Mousa Dembele occupied the central area of midfield, with a three of Gylfi Sigurdsson, new boy Nacer Chadli on his Spurs debut and Aaron Lennon operating behind Defoe and later Kane.

The first opening came on 11 minutes when an Aaron Lennon cross was just palmed away by Danijel Subasic but Chadli couldn't quite work a yard to get a shot away.

The deadlock was broken on 15 minutes when a deep crossfield ball from Rodriguez was met with a thumping volley from Andrea Raggi from the far corner of the penalty area. The ferocity of the shot, along with an unpredictable bounce, saw the ball fly over the shoulder of Hugo Lloris at the near post.

The home side were dictating the tempo of the game as the half wore on without creating too many clear cut chances. The influence of Falcao increased with the potent striker ensuring Lloris remained alert with a couple of dashes off his line to avert danger.

Walker had Subasic scrambling to claw away his free-kick from 25 yards four minutes before the break.

With just two minutes on the clock in the second half, Chadli conceded a free-kick on the right, which was taken with considerable venom by Moutinho and then planted firmly into the net by the head of Lukas Ocampos.

Two minutes later it was three when a break down the right and centre by Ocampos resulted in Falcao steering home for his new club.

Danny Rose then shot narrowly over as he attempted to reduce the deficit and Kane did just that on 57 minutes, seizing on the loose ball after a Dembele run and calmly slotting past Subasic.

Lloris saved well from Carrasco Ferreira as Monaco pressed forward again, but on 65 minutes it was four as again Ocampos picked out Falcao with a low cross and the striker turned and steered home from 16 yards.

Five minutes later a fifth was added when Carrasco Ferreira picked out the run of Mounir Obbadi, who shot across Lloris and into the net.

Lloris saved well from a Falcao header as Monaco sought to increase their lead, but it was Townsend who had the final say after a driving run and powerful low drive found the bottom corner of the net.